Chapter 18
“Idon’t understand why you insist on living here,” Mendez mutters under his breath as he scans the expanse of the yard. “It’s crawling with spirits.”
“Most of them don’t mean any harm. There aren’t even that many anymore, and usually they come and go fairly quickly.
Besides…” The reason draws my gaze up to the bedroom window.
“It’s home.” I don’t need to be near her to read the anxiety painted on her face.
Her hand on the window is a cue that she needs me by her side for this.
Sol might be hesitant about bringing other people into our situation, but they’re good people and, most importantly, they’re professionals.
The only people I would trust with such a task.
If we can’t do it on our own, they’re the best option we’ve got.
Despite not talking to people easily, I’m confident that she’ll see what I see in them—safety, friendship.
It’s an effort to keep myself focused when Jayden strolls up the drive like he owns the place.
He may as well after living here for the last few years and putting so much of his own blood and sweat into it.
Despite his attempt to appear nonchalant and in good spirits, the tension in his posture is a dead giveaway that he’s been avoiding me.
Clapping him on his shoulder, I stop him as he passes me. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Can we talk for a minute?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything to scare her off.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“You’re not a very good liar. Don’t you know that by now?” Still, he sets down his equipment.
“Jay, I don’t understand where this is coming from. Talk to me. Please.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it. That you still don’t understand.” His gaze sweeps up to the primary bedroom window, something dark simmering at the surface of those crystalline eyes. “Besides, do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t it be? I don’t like how we left things the other day.”
“Who were we kidding, Hawthorne? That things would stay the same.” Jayden shifts the bag on his shoulder. “But what’s important is that you have her back now, right? The last thing I want is to give her an excuse to run.”
“She’s not going to run,” I say a bit more aggressively than I intend.
Jayden lets out a long sigh. “I really fucking hope that’s true, but you don’t know that.”
“Sol is here to stay. She promised.” As if to calm my anxieties, I look up at the bedroom window, but she’s nowhere to be seen.
“Promised? Yeah, because she’s so good at keeping her word.
What happened to all of those big future plans you two had?
” Jayden takes a deep breath and shakes his head.
“Maybe you can pretend that everything is fine, but I can’t.
I’m here to do my job and that’s it, so let me just get to it.
” He doesn’t wait for my response, taking his equipment and heading into the house.
I’m left standing there, stunned into silence by the rift that tears further between us. I want to run after him, to make things better, to talk things out. But it has to wait, I can’t afford to be distracted tonight.
It’s a struggle to collect my emotions and shove them in a tiny box to deal with later, but I manage. With a deep breath, I put on a brave face and head back into the house. Passing everyone setting up, I go to find Sol.
The bedroom is empty, so I search for the next most likely place I might find her. Sure enough, she’s made herself at home in the library.
Engrossed in The Phantom of the Opera, she doesn’t hear me when I enter.
I take the opportunity to admire her. The knee-high black boots with the slight heel blend in with tight black pants, giving the illusion of lengthening her frame.
But as I step closer to her, I’m still at least several inches taller than her.
Unable to resist temptation, my hands take on a life of their own, gliding over the black pants that embrace her thighs and hug the curve of her luscious ass. The front clings just as tightly to her soft lower stomach that I grab as I lean into her from behind.
I’m greeted by a slight gasp of surprise, but she doesn’t pull away.
“Do you always have to be so beautiful? It makes it nearly impossible to get anything done.”
“I want to make a good impression.” She sets the book down as she studies herself in the mirror, trying on that practiced smile she wears for strangers.
“You don’t need to do anything but be yourself. They’re going to love you as much as I do.”
Sol rolls her eyes. “They probably think I’m some heartless bitch.”
“Heartless might be a bit overkill,” I tease. “They’re a bit protective, but they know how much you mean to me. They understand that our situation is anything but simple.”
“Like I said, I don’t know if I could approve of friends who weren’t at least a bit angry with me for leaving you.”
“I think I know of a way you could start to heal me.” I slide my hands up the camel-colored corset that carves the silhouette of her hips and lifts her breasts.
I could almost be jealous of the garment if it didn’t present her ample cleavage to me like an offering as I peer down at her over her shoulder.
“There are people waiting downstairs. We should go.” Sol’s voice is short as she coils tight with anxiety.
As always, her caution makes me want to be reckless, just to show her that we can be without consequence.
I hate that she’s been conditioned to always shrink herself, to think of the expectations of others instead of what’s natural for her.
She made so much progress in unmasking before she left, but it’s clear that being on the run with no one to trust has put it firmly back in place. It pains me to know that she had no other choice but to in order to protect herself.
“It must be exhausting to move through the world with such caution, constantly denying yourself in favor of other people’s comfort.”
“Of course it is,” she sighs, her words rehearsed and exhausted. “But what choice do I have?”
“You’re safe here. You don’t have to mask around my friends.
” I gather her long green hair in my hand, applying the slightest pressure so I can look into her eyes unobstructed.
The back of my knuckles follow the delicate curve of her jaw and chin.
“You deserve to be yourself, wholly, completely, from now on.” Her lips part in an effort to argue, but I continue. “I want you to feel at home.”
“That’s easier said than done.” There’s a lifetime of pain in her eyes.
I know first-hand how hard this journey has been for her.
I’ve watched her struggle through social situations, opening up to me, accepting herself—all of it.
I want to alleviate that burden for her as much as I can.
“I just don’t like not knowing what to expect.
The anticipation of it, the uncertainty, it’s like a rolling fog takes over my mind, and those thoughts are the only thing I can see clearly. ”
Kissing her knuckles, I remain silent for a few seconds, giving her the opportunity to expand on the statement, but she doesn’t.
“I think I know how I can clear up some of that haze.” Taking her by the hand, I lead her over to the red couch and take a seat, then pull out my phone.
Opening up Veiled Coast Paranormal Inc’s website, I navigate to our ‘Meet the Team’ page.
“Wow. This is very…official.” She glances up at me. “So you all are the real deal, then?”
“Yeah. We pay business taxes and everything…I think.”
“You think?” Her eyes go wide. I can already see the wheels turning in her mind as she stresses out about the hypothetical IRS trouble I could be in.
“Kidding.” I point to the photo of Ozzie with his brilliant white teeth and dimples. “Like I said, Mendez keeps us in line, makes sure everything official is squared away.”
“Oh right, the brains of the operation,” she teases, casting me a sideways glance. “Who’s that?” Sol points to the photo of Zoey.
“That’s Zoey. They’re more of a consultant, but they’ve been joining us on more cases over the last year—kind of like an investigator in training, I guess.
But they specialize in haunted and cursed items. Z owns an oddities and curiosities shop.
” I can’t help but smile at the way her eyes light up.
“Yeah, I think you two will definitely hit it off.”
“Are you assembling a team of models or investigators?” She laughs as she scrolls down the row of photos. There’s no jealousy in her tone, only genuine appreciation. “Do you have to submit headshots to join?”
“You know what they say, ‘like calls to like.’ Right?”
She keeps scrolling, stopping as Jayden’s photo comes into view.
“Please tell me you’re going to play nice.” Setting the phone down, I turn all of my attention to her. As much as I don’t want to have it, this conversation is a necessity. They’re the two most important people in my life.
“I won’t pretend that I’m not jealous of all the time he had with you. But that’s not his fault.”
“Trust me. I would rather have had you both here.” I kiss her shoulder.
“He’s my best friend, and you’re the love of my life.
There’s nothing to be jealous of.” My lips travel along her jaw.
“But the green of envy suits you.” I tug her hair with one hand as the other glides between her crossed legs and gives her inner thigh a squeeze.
“Hawthorne,” she warns, but it’s a pitiful thing that’s overpowered by the moan I pull from her as I do it again.
I tsk. “Don’t keep it from me. I want to hear it. All your little sounds are like the pattering of rain after a heat wave, each of them washing a bit of the misery that still clings to me.”
“Must you act like I’m something to be celebrated when I brought Hell to your door?”